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Government

Grassley, Ernst & Blum Work to Secure Federal Grant for Cedar Rapids Floodwall

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Aerial view of the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids during the 2008 flood
Courtesy of Iowa Flood Center

All Cedar Rapids wants is money it's already been promised. And three members of Iowa's congressional delegation are renewing their efforts to get a $73 million federal grant to build a flood wall.

Cedar Rapids still hasn't fully recovered from the 2008 flood, and another severe one hit again last year.

Summary  

Dubuque Representative Rod Blum and Iowa US Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst met with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney, to discuss how flood mitigation funds are distributed.

Ernst says the Corps of Engineers uses a cost benefit ratio that's skewed in favor of east and west coast projects, and that it's unfair because the formula is based on property value.

Dubuque Congressman Rod Blum hopes the Cedar Rapids flood wall is included in President Trump's plan to spend billions of dollars on infrastructure.

At $5.4 billion in damage, Ernst says the 2008 Cedar Rapids flood ranks as the 9th largest national disaster in US history.

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Officially, Michelle's title for 28 years was WVIK News Editor. She did everything there is to do in the newsroom and whatever was needed around the radio station. She also served as Acting News Director from September 2023 - January 2024.